Reviews (5)

Fantastic do-it-all camera
I bought my 40i 2 years ago when I was in Japan where they have the exclusive pink version. I love that I don't have to have two separate items for digital photos and MP3's! That alone is what made me buy this camera. But the photo quality has been great too. Pictures generally come out true to color and, if you get a 64 MB card, it holds a bunch of them to boot. Compact, convinient, efficient. Not only that, it is exceptionally user friendly. Setting it up for my Macintosh was a breeze.

3 gripes:

1) Prodigious appetite for batteries, as been noted in other reviews.

2) I have two Fuji cameras, this and an APS. I love them both, but they both have the same problem; at short range, the flash is strong enough to vaporize a cow. Long range flash is virtually useless on this camera. (Fortunately, my APS Fuji has great flash range.)

3) No zoom in the highest quality setting.

Despite the niggles, there's no better camera/MP3 player for your money. Oh, and if you're in the market for one of these little jewels and you're planning a trip to Japan, get the pink one!

Great camera for traveling and easy snaps
This was my introduction into the world of Digital Camera's. I bought this camera for my trip abroad. I wanted something small and light but I did not want to give up functionality. I had no problem giving up the zoom that was just something for me to break when shoving it into my bag. This camera has been dropped and kicked and it still works great. I have not had any problems uploading or downloading the pictures and the printed pictures look amazing. I highly recommend this camera to any one with an active life style who wants a great camera with out the bulk. I did buy much larger memory cards and have two sets of rechargeable batteries. I love the fact that if in a pinch I can go to the drug store and pick up some AA batteries and keep snapping.

Grab this amazing little gadget while you can!
I am not sure what surprises me most about this camera. Probably the fact that it is 2 years old and still outperforms many others! It is in a class by itself. You will be hard-pressed to find something comparable for its size, resolution, or features.

You can shoot an incredible 2400x1800 picture or listen to mp3s from this unit, not much bigger than 3" x 3" square. Swap the included memory for a 128mb SmartMedia card and you have about two and a half hours of music (at the lowest bitrate, 96kbps) or close to 100 images at likely three times the resolution of your computer monitor. You can even shoot short video clips.

The FinePix 40i is not without its downsides, however. The software is worse than what you will find on most $50 webcams. The music downloading program forces you to use the USB cable and its own proprietary format, so don't bother with any speedier SmartMedia readers (like PCMCIA). I am still dumbfounded as to why they did not give an option for voice annotation, since there is a microphone built-in for video recording. And the lack of zoom is annoying but understandable given its size. That said, in my opinion, it is still the small camera to beat.

Would you believe this has been discontinued? If you live in the US and are awaiting the next version of this great camera like I was at first, just buy this one now while you can. The 30i and 50i have come out in Europe and Japan but are doubtful for release here. Plus, FujiFilm actually cut costs so they are not as good. The 30i has a nice feature though to upload pictures to certain cell phones in Japan, which would be cool. They also improved the ultra-basic mp3 remote included with the 40i and offer new colors. But since those aren't coming to America, do yourself a favor and pick this up -- then you can laugh at everyone wasting their money on a Kodak mc3. This costs only slightly more but it is leaps and bounds better!

The finpix 40i
I recentaly bought a fine pix 40i, and its great i love it. I would have spent money (...) on an mp3 player, and that would mean the camera part would be like (...) bucks. The camera takes remakable pictures

The blue version of the best small digital camera
I had been looking for a digital camera for the last month, and my uses are primarily recreational. I wanted something that was small/convenient (for frequent traveling a must! ) and easy to use. The three cameras I originally evaluated included the Canon PowerShot S100, Canon PowerShot S20, and Fuji FinePix 4700. Additionally, I also considered the marvelous Nikon Coolpix 990 (one of my best friends owns it).

Based on overall performance and features alone, let's be realistic - the first three cameras pale in comparison to the 990 (except the 4700's pixel count). The 990 has the most depth of features for taking pictures. But the criteria for size eliminates the 990. During the time that I was looking, the 40i was not yet available. Between the S100 and S20/4700, my decision came down to smaller size of the S100 vs. the pixel count of the other two. I eliminated both the S20 and 4700 based on size (though the 4700 is pretty impressive). While I was still a little concerned because the S100 only has 2.1 megapixel resolution, I ordered the S100 through Amazon. On a trip to Istanbul, I ran across an electronics store in Heathrow Airport that had just gotten an initial shipment of the 40i. I got to compare the S100 (called Ixus in UK) head to head against the 40i. For roughly 10-15% more in price, you get a camera that's about the same size BUT you get better resolution AND MP3 player capability. Looks and size were essentially a tie, but I liked the feel of the 40i better and the blue color version was, how can I put it, just sweeeeeet! Amazon finally has the blue one available and I think it's more unique than then silver one. I returned the S100 and am keeping the 40i.

In terms of experience using it, the camera is great - you can take it anywhere easily and you'll find yourself clicking away. I also bought a 64MB Smart Media ID card which lets me get 79 pictures on the normal setting on the highest resolution. Here are the positives and negatives on the camera:

Positives:

1) The small size comparable to S100 - these two cameras are head and shoulders above all others - make it tops for traveling.

2) The 40i has super easy navigational controls (the dial in the back for setting, electronic menus, and the on/off switch are all great).

3) The MP3 capability with remote control and headphones included is a differentiator and the avoided cost of not having to buy a stand-alone MP3 player should be factored in.

4) This camera can record and playback short movies up to about 1 1/2 minutes. You really need more memory to use this feature.

5) Rechargeable battery pack, travel pack, strap, headphones, A/V cables, and remote control are all included in the kit.

6) Fuji has included really easy user manuals for all hardware/software needs.

7) Pretty standard these days - the camera has USB interface and A/V connection for TV viewing.

8) And of course, because I have to live with it - it looks great in that blue color with its design. The "oooh and aaaahhh" factor is up there.

Negatives:

1) The limited zooming capability (digital) makes it hard to take certain pictures (ex. close-ups of a building in the distance), and this zooming capability is not available on the highest resolution setting.

2) Flash capability is only helpful for shorter range stuff; distance nighttime shots are darker than expected unless other light sources aid the picture. The 990 rules in this category.

3) Battery-chewing appetite - it feels like you go through a new set of batteries (using monitor full-time and flash 1/2 of time) every 20-30 shots. I think this problem is common to all digital cameras (blame the segment!).

4) While a 16MB Smart Media card is part of the kit, you need at least 32MB to have more flexibility and do serious damage.

Overall, the Fuji FinePix 40i is superb - it's fun to use and will exceed your expectations. Make sure you're able to live with negatives #1 and #2. When compared to its peers and the criteria above (size, ease of use, breadth of features), it sets a new standard for digital cameras. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

For the novice digital photographer, the Fuji FinePix A203 offers a 2.1-megapixel resolution with flexible functions in a trim, slim design--just over 5 ounces with batteries. It's also one of the first digital cameras to utilize the tiny XD memory card.

Optics and Resolution
Featuring a CCD sensor with 2 million effective pixels, the FinePix A203 delivers a wide range of detail and color (with images up to 1,600 x 1,200 pixels) and prints up to 8 by 10 inches. The FinePix A203 features a fast f2.8 Fujinon lens with a 3x optical zoom and a 2.5x digital zoom for a 7.5x total zoom. Its lens focal length is equivalent to 38-114mm on a 35mm camera.

Storage and Transfer
The FinePix A203 is one of the first digital cameras to be compatible with the new XD memory card. Comparable in size to a penny and weighing less than 1/10th of an ounce, the new XD memory card is not only currently the smallest image-storage medium, but it also uses less power for better battery performance and has faster data transfer rates than other memory cards. The included 16 MB XD card will store approximately 25 images at fine mode and 39 images at normal mode.

To transfer images to your computer, simply attach the included USB cable between your PC and your camera--your computer should automatically recognize the camera and let you move the pictures to your hard drive.

Movie Mode
In movie mode, the FinePix A203 produces digital videos (with no sound) in QVGA (320 x 240) format for movies approximately 60 seconds in length at 10 frames per second. The limited resolution of your movies guarantees that this feature won't replace your camcorder, but it's perfect for when you just want to capture a quick movie and e-mail it to a friend or relative.

More Features

• 1.5-inch LCD monitor
• White balance: auto, plus 6 selectable positions in manual mode
• Flash modes: auto, red-eye reduction, forced flash, suppressed flash, and slow synchro
• Sensitivity: ISO 100 equivalent
• Shutter speed: 1/2 to 1/2,000 second

Power
The FinePix A203 is powered by two AA batteries (alkalines are included). We recommend getting a set or two of rechargeable nickel metal hydride (NiMH) batteries and a charger. A digital camera will kill a set of alkaline batteries extremely quickly, especially if you're using the camera's LCD display, so they aren't recommended except in a pinch.

Size
At 3.8 by 2.5 by 1.4 inches and 5.1 ounces (without battery), the FinePix A303 is an easily pocketable point-and-shoot camera.

Contents
This package includes the FinePix A203 digital camera, 16 MB XD memory card, two AA alkaline batteries, USB cable, hand strap, and CD-ROM with software and USB drivers for Windows and Mac. ... Read more

Features

• 2.1 megapixel sensor creates 1,600 x 1,200 images for prints at sizes up to 8 x 10 inches
• 3x optical plus 2.5x digital zoom lens (for 7.5x total) with autofocus
• Stores photos on 16 MB XD card--25 images at fine and 39 images at normal
• Connects to PCs via USB port
• Powered by 2 AA alkaline batteries (included)--rechargeables recommended

Reviews (3)

Good reliable camera
This is a great camera, but the only problem is that its out dated. There are better, faster, and more stylish camera's out there now. But from when i bought it, till now, it has given me no problems.

There is no market for this camera.
I bought this camera and regret it since returning it will cost a huge restocking cost (i didn't buy it at amazon). For the same price as this A203...you can find the 3mpix version the A303. So why does Fuji even make this A203? I'm not sure. A good price for this camera would be (One hundred ninety nine dollars).

As for the camera itself, its picture quality is impressive...but the most annoying characteristic is its around 4-second delay after taking each picture. That means you cannot take pictures in rapid succession. Aside from that, it's controls are very easy to use, battery-life is excellent, and its compact size make it nice camera...but do yourself a favor and buy the A303. Might as well get 3mpix for the same price as 2mpix.

Another thing about this camera is that it is one of the few that is Made in Japan. So there is no cheap Chinese or Mexican labor involved in manufacturing this camera.

Excellent
Its a nice camera, compact, and the quality of pictures is sharp & very good. I shopped a lot of cameras and brought earlier sony & returned it & brought this one. This is pretty good in indoors as well as outdoors. The memory is pretty good very fast. For the price, it has lot of features & very handy.
I recomend this to people to also wants the quality of indoor shots good & outdoor ofcourse is good in most cameras ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

A truly pocket-sized digital camera with a sleek silver case, the Fuji FinePix 30i snaps 2-megapixel images and plays MP3 music as well. This isn't the first two-in-one digital camera and MP3 player, but it's one of the first to combine good-quality images with a very reasonable price tag. From the stylish sliding lens cover to the plug-in remote control, the FinePix 30i is full of nice touches. If you don't like the in-ear headphones, you can plug your own into the remote control, which can be used for taking photos as well as fast-forwarding to the next track.

The 2-megapixel CCD gives you images at 1,600 x 1,200, 1,280 x 960, or 640 x480 resolution settings, and you can fit 20, 39, or 75 images (respectively) onto the 16 MB SmartMedia card that comes with it. Even at the highest resolution that's a reasonable number of images to start with, but unless your MP3s are recorded at a very low bit-rate, it's woefully small for music (decent-quality tracks take a megabyte a minute).

Especially at the higher resolution, the FinePix 30i takes nice photographs with plenty of detail, crisp lines, and good color balance, particularly for outdoor shots. You can just point and shoot, but for indoor pictures it's certainly worth tweaking the flash settings and the white balance. The macro mode gives you clear images and legible text. You can review your photos on the LCD screen on the back of the camera. You'll get better composition control when using the LCD to line up your shots, but you'll get better life out of the two rechargeable batteries if you turn it off and use the viewfinder. An additional set of rechargeable batteries is highly recommended.

To keep the price and the weight down, the FinePix 30i doesn't have an optical zoom, and you can only use the digital zoom at lower resolution. You do get extra features though: you can record short video clips, add voice notes to photos, and use it as a Webcam.

To make the most of the FinePix 30i you'll need to pick up a higher-capacity SmartMedia card, especially if you plan to listen to a lot of music. Even so, this is a stylish and remarkably compact camera with plenty of features and good image quality. --Mary Branscombe

Pros:

• Best quality combo digital camera/audio player we've tested
• 2-megapixel resolution good for prints up to 8 by 10 inches
• Bonus features: movie mode, voice note annotation to photos, Webcam functionality

Cons:

• Included 16 MB SmartMedia card not adequate for photo and music file storage--will need larger memory card
• Battery life is limited--extra rechargeables a must-have addition

Features

• 2.0 megapixel sensor creates 1600 x 1200images for prints at sizes up to 8 x 10 inches
• 2.5x digital zoom lens with autofocus
• Included 16 MB SmartMedia card holds approximately 20 images at default settings
• Connects with Macs and PCs via USB port
• Uses 2 AA rechargeable NiMH batteries (included, with charger)

Features

• Digital still photo and video camera in one
• 3.1-megapixel SuperCCD interpolation increases resolution to 6 megapixels
• Video capture at 640 x 480 pixels (VGA) and 30 frames per second
• Compatible with both XD Picture Card and IBM Microdrive
• Connects with Macs and PCs via USB port; rechargeable Lithium-Ion battery included